Exploring Autism in the Movie, Rain Man
Autism is considered a unique disorder that affects 1 in 500 people.
Autism impairs three main areas of human development: speech,
communication, and social interaction. The trademark feature of autism
is impaired social interaction. All impairments can range from mild to
severe. Individuals with autism may lack speech altogether or only
learn basic language specific to their needs. In the area of social
interaction, the individual is often withdrawn from others. They lack
the ability to comprehend facial expressions and the actions of others
are confusing. Many individuals with autism lack interest in social
interaction. There is a lack of imagination and a preference to engage
in routines. Individuals usually find security in the routines, and
become very dependent on them.
What causes autism? No one is sure what causes autism research seems
to suggest that it is caused by both genetic and environmental
factors. There are no medical tests for diagnosing autism. A diagnosis
is based on an observation of the individual's communication,
behavior, and developmental levels. There is also no cure for autism.
Evidence does show that early intervention has a positive outcome for
young children with autism. Many adaptations can be made to a
classroom to ensure the least restrictive environment for and autistic
child. A few of those adaptations would be: daily routines encouraged
social interactions, and alone time. If you are interested in autism,
the movie Rain Man is very informative. Rain Man will provide you with
an insight into the life of a man with autism.
Rain Man portrays the life o...
... middle of paper ...
... leaving caused problems in the relationship between
Charlie and his father. Charlie's father carried around this guilt for
not being able to care for his son and Charlie was never able to
understand him because of this secret.
There were quite a few adaptations made for Raymond. Raymond refused
to take an airplane so Charlie had to drive across country. There were
also certain parts of Raymond's daily routine that he could not manage
without. To accommodate Raymond, Charlie bought him a portable T.V.
and stopped each night so that Raymond could be in bed by eleven.
There were other adaptations made, Raymond's bed had to be placed in
front of a window and he would not travel when it was raining. Making
the adaptations for Raymond is what helped Charlie to better
understand and come to love his brother and his autism.
Before completing the assignment of reading “Thinking in Pictures,” by Temple Grandin, I did not have much knowledge about autism. My only understanding was autism was some sort of neurological disorder that is seen similar to mentally handicapped individuals to someone with little understanding, like myself. I am very thankful to have been given an assignment like this one that gives me more knowledge of something I should already have in my line of work (though I am sure that was the whole purpose of the assignment, to educate the ignorant). I now have a better understanding of the cause, learning process and functioning of different levels of this defect.
Nothing much ever happens in Endora, Iowa. The Grape family is one of several that inhabit this town. Gilbert is the eldest brother of 4 children, of whom all but one, still live at home with their Momma. Arnie is 6 days away from being 18 years old. Doctors told the family that they would be lucky if he could live until the age of 10. The movie begins with Arnie and Gilbert watching the trailers pass by, an annual tradition before Arnie’s birthday. After the trailers have all come and gone, they go into town and head to Gilbert’s work. Shortly after arriving, he is called out for a delivery to Mrs. Carver’s. He leaves Arnie alone in the truck, when he exits the home, Gilbert realizes that Arnie is missing. At that same time, the sheriff goes flying by; it can only mean one thing. Upon driving into the middle of town, it is then that Gilbert sees Arnie. He has once again climbed up the water tower. It is at this time you see the true connection between Gilbert and his brother Arnie. As Arnie continues to climb higher, his brother takes the loud speaker and begins singing to him. He is able to coax him down through song, assuring the sheriff it won’t happen again, he is able to then take him home. Being the main caretaker for his brother, Gilbert is responsible for bathing and getting Arnie ready for bed.
Autism is a developmental disorder that appears within the first three years of a child’s life. It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Autism affects 1 out of 68 children. It is also the fastest growing disability in the United States. There are multiple types of Autism, some children are considered high functioning, and some are low functioning. “High functioning” is when a child with autism can function in life, and completes jobs, and chores with little to no help. “Low functioning” is when a child with autism cannot complete simple daily tasks without help, and (or) constant supervision.
The film “rain man” is set with two very different characters. That of Charlie, a fast-talking, money hungry con-artist, and Raymond, Charlie’s autistic brother. The film is about change and the building of a friendship and brotherhood. The focus chosen is about the relationship between Raymond and Charlie, as they leave on an adventure that will change the lives of both men.
This Paper is going to examine Autism. What is Autism? Autism is a disorder that affects an individual brain, impacting their development, causing delays such as cognitive, Language, and behavioral (Karst & Vaughn, Van Heck, 2012). Autism is classified as DSM-IV-TR disorder (Blewitt& Broderick, 2015). Autism does not discriminate it can affect anyone regardless of their race or social background. The probability that a child may be impacted from autism is 1 out of 110 (Blewitt& Broderick ,2015). Child development is important to the field of human service. Autism is a disorder that signifies a child development is not progressing. Dating back to the 1960’s many social scientists such as Sigmund Freud and Piaget began to study the development
is usually first diagnosed in children when they are about 2 years old. A child may
... genetics and environment play a role. Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the disorder. Studies of people with A.S.D. have found irregularities in several regions of the brain. Other studies suggest that people with autism have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. These abnormalities suggest that autism could result from the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and the regulation of how brain cells communicate with each other. With so many answers as to what may cause autism, it makes treatment for autism particularly difficult as there currently is no one standard “fix.” In fact, there are several types of therapy that may help minimize symptoms of A.S.D. and the effectiveness of each program differs for each individual.
Every year doctors diagnose thousands of adults and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Due to the growing awareness of autism and recent developments in technology, scientists and doctors can now discover and observe the effects of autism on society, and people. Starting with its discovery, researchers have been able to diagnose people more effectively. Doctors are beginning to discover what causes this disorder, and are currently trying to find ways to prevent and treat it. Many places have opened their doors to people with this disorder, creating autistic friendly environments where people are patient and understanding. Schools have also become accommodating to autistic children and adults. Autism also puts great strain on family and home lives.
Autism is not a disease, but a developmental disorder of brain function. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. Symptoms of autism usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue throughout life. Although there is no cure, appropriate management may foster relatively normal development and reduce undesirable behaviors.
Autism is a form of neurodevelopment disorder in the autism spectrum disorders. It is characterized by impaired development in social interactions and communication, both verbal and non-verbal. There is an observed lack of spontaneous acts of communication; both receptive and expressed, as well as speech impairments. A person diagnosed with Autism will also show a limited range of activities and interests, as well as forming and maintain peer relationships. The individuals will display limited interests, which are often very focused and repetitive. He or she is likely to be very routine oriented and may show behavioral symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and self-injurious behaviors.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disorder that can be characterized by many different symptoms, and can be shown in various degrees of severity. Raymond, in the film Rain Man, is autistic. There are many examples within the movie in which by knowing the criteria stated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) it is evident that Raymond is autistic. Autism is a disorder that affects people all around the world, no matter the race or ethnicity. Raymond is very special to those around him, and although his brother didn’t know he existed previous to their father’s death, by the end of the movie it is evident that Raymond is important to Charlie.
Two to six children out of every thousand will end up with Autism. Autism is one of the fastest growing disorders with a great amount of studies being put behind it. With its vast amount of different signs and symptoms, different forms, how its treated, and arguments about how exactly the disorder came to be , Austin can very well be one of the most confusing, and researched disorders, for its a disorder that stirs up tons of questions but yet gets hardly any answers. Autism is usually developed between ages of one and three, it effects communication and how the child interacts with others. It is defined by behaviors of the child and “ spectrum disorders” that re different with each person. (About Autism, 2008, para 1). Symptoms of autism can very in many different ways, and even different categories. Take the category of social interaction and relationships symptoms include : non verbal communication development problems such as , eye - to - eye gazing, body language, and facial expressions, failure to make friends with people their own age, lack of interest, and lack of empathy. The category for verbal and non verbal symptoms include : Delay or lack when learning to talk, about forty person of people with autism never speak, problems with starting, and keeping conversations, repetitive use of language, and difficulty understanding what someone is saying. Finally the category of interests and play include : unusual focus on pieces, preoccupation on certain topics, a need for the same routine, and stereotyped behaviors like hand flapping and body rocking.
There are many movies that portray mental and psychological disorders, from these I chose the award winning movie: Rain Man. Rain Man was released on December 14, 1988. In the beginning of this movie, a car dealer, Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise), learns that his father has died and returns home to Cincinnati to attend his funeral. Charlie and his father had a falling out with each other starting when Charlie was sixteen years old and decided to steal his father’s car for a victory lap around town. His father reported the car stolen, resulting in Charlie being arrested. Charlie’s friends got off with a warning, however Charlie’s father decided to leave his son in jail for two days before he got him out. Charlie’s mother died when he was two years
Autism is a disorder characterized by significant problems in communication and social functioning. Autism is actually called Autism Spectrum Disorder and encompasses a broad range disabilities such as Asperger syndrome, Rett’s Syndrome, and Pervavasive Development Disorder (Dunlap & Fox, n.d.). There are also varying degrees of the disorder from low-functioning (no communication and no social interaction) to high-functioning (some communication and inappropriate but existent social skills.)
Savant syndrome isn’t bad or harmful at all to the autistic person it is actually highly beneficial to the person and other people so there is no need for treatment for this. There have been no previous records of anyone trying to treat savant. A big benefit that Charlie had from Raymond was being able to count playing cards. Charlie taught his brother how to play black jack. After Charlie took Raymond to the casinos in Las Vegas Raymond help Charlie when a bunch of money.